New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-21
GENERAL cArLlvs NEW DEPARTURE
WHY nE GOES OVER TO INK DEMocRArs-wHAr
REPUBLICANS SAY.

WHY Xix GOES OVER TO INK DEAOCRAIs-NnAi
RFPUBLICANs SAY.
The action of General Caln in going TO the
Democratic camp in Brooklyn explained By him
Yesterday In q statement In which he said:
"The reason for my action goes back TO the com
paign OF 1885, when leading Republicans bolted
tho party nomination and supported an Independent
Democrat for Mayor. 1 had declined a unanimous
nomination for Surrogate, Office might have beer
elected to- and then / foolish enough to stand
for Mayor All the questions involved in my admin
istration Of tho Dlstrct-Atorneys Office were gone
into and 1 was sustained by my party. Now the
Assembly by strict Republican vote secs fit TO rake
I'D all thosa matters and ccnsurc and criticise me
without q word OF remonstranco Assembyman
Arnold in fact, euloglze1 Mclaughlin and Rldgway,
but said nothing for me. On the other hand, the
Democratic minority OF the investigating committee
took pains TO speak well of INC. Now II thu Re-
publican party purposes TO blacken me am going TO
be in a position to strike back. have nothing
against tho measures and principles of the party and
as Democrat propose to be my own master. as l
have been in tho Republican ranks. will not be a
NERD political partisan"
The general comment upon General Catlens action
among Brooklyn Republicans was that II was hasty
and impulsve step taken by him in consequence OF
the criticisms TO which he had justly subjected him
self When he refused the nomination for Surrogate
after he had failed to be appointed to the vacancy
caused by the death OF Surrogate Bergen, 1t
derstood that he wanted to be DistrcAtorncy again
last fall Then the Mayoralty crisis after Gen
era woodward had received an. Independent nomina-
ton and It was hoped that General Catlin would
draw enough Democratic votes, as he had done in
contests for the District-Att0rncyshp In two cam
pagns, to secure election. But no was defeated by
over 10 900 votes, and he vented his feelings in u
spiteful letter to tho General Committee; Then he
was asscd over the nomination for srct-AtOrney
last fan his brUthcr-in-law, General Tracy, being
selected who was defeated by about $4,000 majority
General Catlin laid this all TO dsafcctcd Republicans
and ouenly declared that he would never affiliate
with them again. But IL was not until the Bacon
investigation seriously reflected upon his official
actions which Democrats defended, that he decided
TO unto at once with tho party he had long OPP
posed He has been welcomed with open by
BOSS" Mclaughlin, Irony" Barrett, "Jim" shevlin
"Jm" Dunno, and others Of that stripe who rule
tho Brooklyn Democracy to-day. General Catlin's
strength a. a Republican candidate lay in the fact
that he was able to get many Democratic votes "a
he was popular with the "bOys." He Will not de-
prive the rarity OF any moro votes than his own
fOf this reason.
The rerort OF the Bacon Committee also reflected
upOn ex-SherR Stcgman, and he also announced his
Intention OF leaving the Republican party yesterday.
While Sheriff he bcd by designing politicians,
and he was n complete wreck when his term ended.
Recently he has strivcn to rchahilitate himself and
his efforts have not secured as much Republican
approval he expected The result l. that he clasps
hands with Democrats who found nothing too hard to
saw OF him when he opposed them.